Random Cubs Musings

[jersey cubs fan]

i guess i just want to hear even one of these people say "i think they could win the division"

 

even the most optimistic and positive stop short of it.

I feel like I've seen a writer or 3 make that claim. Although I also feel like complete [expletive] this morning and my brain is swimming so maybe that's just something I've imagined.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

why does it seem like media types are so reluctant to make a really positive prediction on the cubs?

 

Because people, and *especially* the media, are slaves to narrative. We want to impose narrative on everything because we don't like randomness as an explanation.

 

"The Cubs are on an intermediate step in their ascent to greatness" is a narrative too good to resist. It's way preferable to "The Cubs are a baseball team who will play baseball games and maybe win a lot of them but who knows because baseball is weird."

 

it's preferable because your story is dumb

 

My story is more accurate than theirs.

[jersey cubs fan]

why does it seem like media types are so reluctant to make a really positive prediction on the cubs?

 

Because people, and *especially* the media, are slaves to narrative. We want to impose narrative on everything because we don't like randomness as an explanation.

 

"The Cubs are on an intermediate step in their ascent to greatness" is a narrative too good to resist. It's way preferable to "The Cubs are a baseball team who will play baseball games and maybe win a lot of them but who knows because baseball is weird."

 

it's preferable because your story is dumb

 

My story is more accurate than theirs.

 

Writers being reluctant to predict the Cubs will be very good is far less annoying than "baseball is baseball so baseball will happen because baseball."

[Guest]

why does it seem like media types are so reluctant to make a really positive prediction on the cubs?

 

Because people, and *especially* the media, are slaves to narrative. We want to impose narrative on everything because we don't like randomness as an explanation.

 

"The Cubs are on an intermediate step in their ascent to greatness" is a narrative too good to resist. It's way preferable to "The Cubs are a baseball team who will play baseball games and maybe win a lot of them but who knows because baseball is weird."

 

it's preferable because your story is dumb

 

My story is more accurate than theirs.

 

Writers being reluctant to predict the Cubs will be very good is far less annoying than "baseball is baseball so baseball will happen because baseball."

 

i do wish they'd be a bit more open to admitting what kyle's saying when they make their predictions. like they don't even acknowledge that part of it and make these absurdly definitive statements (i.e. flipped to 1000 for 5 seconds yesterday to hear wilbon say something like "keep bryant down as long as you need to...are they winning a world series? of course not, come on." in this really dismissive tone) and for whatever reason that's a huge pet peeve for me.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Writers being reluctant to predict the Cubs will be very good is far less annoying than "baseball is baseball so baseball will happen because baseball."

 

*shrug* Annoying or not, it's accurate. Baseball being the reason for baseball results is usually about sixth on their list of explanations, after morality, chemistry, fate, character and clutchiness.

[jersey cubs fan]

is wilbon even a guy who predicts baseball seasons?

 

 

 

Tim Kurkjian has made his entire career on the "oh geez guys isn't baseball just so weird and funny and odd and unique and baseball"

 

There is more than enough of that silliness.

 

The real solution to this is you need to stop listening to sports talk radio.

[jersey cubs fan]

Writers being reluctant to predict the Cubs will be very good is far less annoying than "baseball is baseball so baseball will happen because baseball."

 

*shrug* Annoying or not, it's accurate. Baseball being the reason for baseball results is usually about sixth on their list of explanations, after morality, chemistry, fate, character and clutchiness.

 

I don't even think you realize you aren't saying anything.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Writers being reluctant to predict the Cubs will be very good is far less annoying than "baseball is baseball so baseball will happen because baseball."

 

*shrug* Annoying or not, it's accurate. Baseball being the reason for baseball results is usually about sixth on their list of explanations, after morality, chemistry, fate, character and clutchiness.

 

I don't even think you realize you aren't saying anything.

 

:good:

[Guest]

is wilbon even a guy who predicts baseball seasons?

 

 

 

Tim Kurkjian has made his entire career on the "oh geez guys isn't baseball just so weird and funny and odd and unique and baseball"

 

There is more than enough of that silliness.

 

The real solution to this is you need to stop listening to sports talk radio.

 

i mean no, he's not...i guess this is more an irrational rant than anything. i'm so sick of hearing this same thing over and over and i just want to hear one person agree with me other than my friends on nsbb.

[Guest]

Writers being reluctant to predict the Cubs will be very good is far less annoying than "baseball is baseball so baseball will happen because baseball."

 

*shrug* Annoying or not, it's accurate. Baseball being the reason for baseball results is usually about sixth on their list of explanations, after morality, chemistry, fate, character and clutchiness.

 

I don't even think you realize you aren't saying anything.

 

lmao

[jersey cubs fan]

i mean no, he's not...i guess this is more an irrational rant than anything. i'm so sick of hearing this same thing over and over and i just want to hear one person agree with me other than my friends on nsbb.

go ask Bruce Miles if he thinks the Cubs can win the division and be really good this year.

[sneakypower]

is wilbon even a guy who predicts baseball seasons?

 

 

 

Tim Kurkjian has made his entire career on the "oh geez guys isn't baseball just so weird and funny and odd and unique and baseball"

 

There is more than enough of that silliness.

 

The real solution to this is you need to stop listening to sports talk radio.

 

i mean no, he's not...i guess this is more an irrational rant than anything. i'm so sick of hearing this same thing over and over and i just want to hear one person agree with me other than my friends on nsbb.

i only care that reality matches my optimism

[Guest]

i only care that reality matches my optimism

 

i'll be just fine with this come april

[Tyrant]

so it sounds like baez is probably starting the year in iowa. if the over/under on major league at bats for him this year is 250, what do you take?

[Guest]

so it sounds like baez is probably starting the year in iowa. if the over/under on major league at bats for him this year is 250, what do you take?

 

i don't think it sounds like that...at least not from the maddon quotes from yesterday that the local media is running with.

 

doesn't mean he won't (nor am I saying he shouldn't), but i'm not seeing how what he said is making all of them think he's headed to Iowa now.

 

as for 250, i'll take the over.

 

aside from the comment (in these very quotes from yesterday) saying that he needs major league plate appearances, here he is just yesterday referring to Baez as the 2B when talking about how the defense is going to look this year

 

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/03/19/levine-joe-maddon-doesnt-know-what-to-expect-out-of-cubs-defense/

 

“Potentially really good or potentially pedestrian,” Maddon said. “My whole point is how hard are we going to work at it? I am challenging guys to win the Gold Glove, and Starlin is one of them. Dexter Fowler is another who can win a Gold Glove. It’s in their abilities. Baez at second base is already at that caliber. We have a lot of high-end potential defenders. Now we must get the work out of them.”

 

Maybe it means something or maybe it doesn't.

[Guest]

Alcantara(or La Stella I guess) is gonna have to hit a good bit for Baez not to get a bunch of PAs this year, even if Baez goes to Iowa to start(I'm skeptical). Baez shouldn't need 300 AAA PAs to get right enough to get another shot at MLB pitchers, so unless there's someone producing pretty well that they can afford to keep him down, he'll get the opportunity to fail at the MLB level again. If he falls on his face again I could see him getting 250 PA I guess, but that holds true whether he starts in Chicago or Iowa.

[Guest]

Writers being reluctant to predict the Cubs will be very good is far less annoying than "baseball is baseball so baseball will happen because baseball."

 

*shrug* Annoying or not, it's accurate. Baseball being the reason for baseball results is usually about sixth on their list of explanations, after morality, chemistry, fate, character and clutchiness.

It's your story it doesn't make it accurate.

[Rex Buckingham]

I think he will start with the big league team.

 

Having said that, I think if they were to send Javy down for a couple of weeks and let him beat up some AAA pitchers with KB and called them both up at the same time it could take some pressure off of Javy. Now, the problem with that would be if he goes down and struggles, it would create some serious issues. Ultimately, like I said above I think he starts in MLB, but it's an option I thought about.

[Guest]

I think he will start with the big league team.

 

Having said that, I think if they were to send Javy down for a couple of weeks and let him beat up some AAA pitchers with KB and called them both up at the same time it could take some pressure off of Javy.

I like that idea.

[RammyFanny]

Lester with "dead arm" getting next start pushed back. Still supposed to start opener as of now.

 

Probably nothing but pitchers are the worst.

[treebird]

Lester with "dead arm" getting next start pushed back. Still supposed to start opener as of now.

 

Probably nothing but pitchers are the worst.

 

:|

[ctcf]

Eh, this is a pretty common occurrence. Not gonna worry yet.

[sneakypower]

I think he will start with the big league team.

 

Having said that, I think if they were to send Javy down for a couple of weeks and let him beat up some AAA pitchers with KB and called them both up at the same time it could take some pressure off of Javy. Now, the problem with that would be if he goes down and struggles, it would create some serious issues. Ultimately, like I said above I think he starts in MLB, but it's an option I thought about.

he's mostly facing minor league pitchers now

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Lester with "dead arm" getting next start pushed back. Still supposed to start opener as of now.

 

Probably nothing but pitchers are the worst.

 

There's just no way to know. Teams always say it's nothing, whether he makes his next start or his arm fell off. We'll find out in the next few weeks.

[jumbo]

I think he will start with the big league team.

 

Having said that, I think if they were to send Javy down for a couple of weeks and let him beat up some AAA pitchers with KB and called them both up at the same time it could take some pressure off of Javy.

I like that idea.

 

Baseball Reference says he has 55 days of service time from last season. 172 is a full season, right? Not sure if him starting at AAA would move back arbitration/avoid super two...

I don't think there's a motivation behind that from the team necessarily, but possible effect of him being down if he struggles in AAA.